Black Butler: Cursed
by BlackButlerFan13
Summary: NOT related to "Demon Expecting" After a spell goes horribly wrong, Grell accidently gets Sebastian pregnant. How will this work out in the end? Warnings: MPreg and some brief scenes of violence. NOTE: MPreg Male Pregnancy. I am fully aware this cannot happen in reality. Don't like, don't read. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1: Mistake

Chapter 1: Mistake

Grell Sutcliff was up to no good again.

The red-haired, flamboyant Grim Reaper had been completely obsessed with the demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis for the better part of a year now, and his insane schemes to win his affection scaled anywhere from tame to absolutely chaotic. Direct approaches, whether they were from the front or behind, always landed Grell with some new injury, and attempting to "pin" the demon down with his death scythe only increased his chances of getting killed. No method – cats, catnip tequila, kidnapping Ciel Phantomhive, or a combination of the three—landed him with any luck.

Now, here he sat behind the locked doors of his room conjuring up a new method for him to get what he wanted.

Grell's obsession with Sebastian drove him to the wildest fantasy of bearing the demons children; a practice that was frowned upon and forbidden by Reaper-kind. But that didn't stop Grell from trying his next wild attempt.

The Reaper had gotten his hands on the ancient spell books that were kept in the Library; which had been tucked away in the restricted section for who-knows-how-long. Grell had nearly jumped for joy at what he had found; an ancient spell that was able to force any being – whether male or female—to bear children. The reasons why the books were in the restricted section was quite obvious, but rules and restrictions never stopped the love-struck Reaper.

Now he sat in the depths of the Reaper Library, away from any co-workers who might see, working as quickly, quietly, and as hard as he could to finish the spell before he was found out. He especially didn't want his superior, William T. Spears to see him doing this. The dark-brown haired Reaper was bound strictly by the rules, and would surely have Grell fired for this sick practice.

He had gathered what was needed: DNA from both parents, which consisted of a lock of Sebastian's hair (gathered from an intentional fight Grell had caused) and his own hair, along with a forbidden substance, which took on the form of a fine, white powder. The substance was rather difficult to acquire, yet he had managed to find an existing vile of it at Undertaker's shop.

Grell mixed all of the ingredients inside of a large, crystal bowl and chanted his wish into the bowl, as the spell in the book instructed. Suddenly, the power turned into a fine liquid that dissolved with hair of both parents and then began to bleed into the bowl. The mixture sat within the crystal of the bowl for a whole minute before mysteriously vanishing on its own.

The spell had officially been cast.

Grell, shivering with excitement, waited anxiously for something to happen, something that would make it quite obvious to him that he was now with child; Sebastian's child. Yet, minutes passed with nothing particularly different happening to him. He looked over the instructions of the spell again. He hadn't missed anything. It wasn't until his eyes strayed to the side-effects of the spell that his hopes were crushed.

_"After the spell has been casted, the mothering parent will lose his/her consciousness and awaken a total of twelve hours later. By then, that parent will be with child."_

Grell could feel tears break through his eyes.

"So, it didn't work…" he muttered quietly to himself.

He was about to curl himself into a ball and cry, when suddenly to door to the room crashed open. The sight of William T. Spears standing in the doorway was now more welcoming to Grell than the failed spell.

"Grell, what are you doing in here?" Will asked, pushing up the pair of rectangular-framed spectacles that sat on his face.

"Just wallowing in my own misery," Grell wept, "Leave me be!"

William pointed to the crystal bowl and books on the floor, "What's this?"

"It's nothing. It didn't even work anyways."

William picked up the spell book Grell had been using and recoiled in horror.

"Are you _sure_ it _didn't _work?" He asked in a slightly worried tone.

Grell looked up at him from his fetal position on the floor, "Not that I'm _aware_ of. I'm not experiencing anything the box says I should be experiencing."

William shuddered, "Yes… but here's the thing," he closed the book and turned the cover towards Grell, "This is a spell book meant to effect _demons_."

Grell instantly shot up. His eyes were wide, and now he desperately hoped, for his own sake, that the spell hadn't worked.

"So, I'll ask again," William said, "Are you _sure_ the spell _didn't_ work?"

The red-headed Reaper couldn't make words.

Grabbing him with a rough hand, William drug Grell out of the room.

"W-where are we going?" Grell asked.

"We're going to fill out an incident report." William growled, quickening his pace, "Then, we're going to pay a visit to the Phantomhive manor."


	2. Chapter 2: Unconscious

Chapter 2: Unconscious

Ciel sat in his study, staring blankly at the mountain of paperwork that had been growing on his desk over the course of the past week or so.

In no particular mood to finish it today, the young Phantomhive earl rang for his butler. He could at least have Sebastian prepare him a dessert while he let his mind wander until his dancing lessons at four. Yet, ten minutes passed without the butler showing, and Ciel forced himself to ring a second time. It wasn't normal for Sebastian to fail to show within ten minutes… or even five. But usually this was the time of day when Sebastian was helping Finnian—the gardener—outside in the garden, so perhaps that was the reason he was taking so long.

Another ten minutes passed, and Ciel had rung three more times, and Sebastian still hadn't shown up, and Ciel began to worry. It wasn't like Sebastian to be this late. As a butler, he always stressed over time and tried to remain on schedule. Even small things, like tying an undone tie, or tending to a pair of undone shoelaces were done within an acceptable amount of time. To be twenty minutes late for a simple bell was _unheard of_.

Ciel knew the only way to solve this matter would be to get up and search for Sebastian himself

However, before Ciel could rise from his desk, the door to his study flew open. He momentarily thought it was Sebastian, until he caught glimpse of the strawberry-blond hair of the gardener, Finnian.

The young teen skidded to a halt in front of Ciel, not bothering to give himself the time to catch his breath before trying to explain what was wrong.  
"Hurry… Sebastian… garden… fell… not waking up…!"

Ciel took a firm hold of the gardener's shoulders, "Calm down, Finny! I can't understand you when you can barely breathe."

Finny looked shaken. His eyes were wide with fear, his limbs trembled, his face was drained of color, and his breaths came out in sharp, high-pitched gasps.

"You have to hurry…" Finny stared out slowly, "Sebastian… he was trimming the rose bushes in the garden when suddenly he just fell down. Mey-Rin and I tried everything, but he's not waking up!"

Ciel found himself caught slightly off guard. There wasn't a weak bone in Sebastian's body, and even if there were, it certainly wouldn't consist of falling… for any reason! The thought was enough to make him worry him slightly.

"Take me to him!" he ordered.

Finny nodded and led Ciel out of the mansion and into the garden, moving in the direction of the rose patch. It was abnormally hot for June, and the heat made Ciel tired and woozy. For a moment, it was understandable for anyone to pass out in these types of conditions.

But Sebastian wasn't _just_ anyone…

How bitterly wrong Ciel's thoughts were as he saw the house maid, Mey-Rin, kneeled down beside Sebastian, who looked as if he had simply collapse where he'd been standing. There was no indication that heat had been the primary cause of his collapse. His face was white; completely drained of color and his hair was a mess from the attempts Mey-Rin and Finny had made to wake him.

Ciel knelt down beside Sebastian and rested a hand on his forehead. His skin was neither hot nor cold. It was clear that this wasn't some sickness a demon could contract. For a moment, Ciel figured Sebastian was merely playing another joke on him, since the butler had his own ways of entertaining himself. But that assumption was dashed when he tried to reach to Sebastian through the contract symbol that had been carved into his right eye when the two had first met, and all he sensed was blankness; no such awareness that his service was needed. _That_, on its own, would have been enough to snap the demon back from even the most pitiful state. And_ that_, on it's own, was troubling...

Ciel could feel tremors fill his chest. It shamed him to think he was afraid, since he had always referred to Sebastian as just one of his chess pieces; a pawn... or a knight, and nothing more.

He forced the tremors out of his voice as he spoke.  
"Take him inside and settle him in a bed in one of the spare bedrooms. That's an order."

Finny and Mey-Rin nodded, although they were not entirely sure how they would be able to move the larger, better built man back into the mansion.


	3. Chapter 3: Answers

Chapter 3: Answers

It took many attempts for the other servants to carry Sebastian to a spare bedroom on the second floor. Ciel left Mey-Rin and Tanaka in charge of watching over the butler until he woke up. But Mey-Rin was so taken by the mere sight of Sebastian's peaceful expressions as he slept for it to be necessarily called "watching over him", so it was Tanaka who was left to both keep guard and keep watch.

It was clear to the elderly steward that Sebastian's condition was anything but natural. The butler wasn't notorious for getting ill or fainting so easily. Tanaka had the strongest feeling that there was more behind this than just a mere loss of consciousness. What that happened to be was unknown for the moment, but he had a feeling that the answers would be uncovered soon enough.

Mey-Rin's constant obsessing soon became tiring, and eventually Tanaka dismissed the young maid to continue her usual household duties. He was in a descent enough condition to watch over Sebastian on his own.

Though the maid wasn't at all pleased about being sent off, Mey-Rin left.

Tanaka began running through the possibilities of what could be wrong with Sebastian. He had known the butler was a demon for a number of years, and it was already plain to him that the only reason Sebastian ever showed up with Ciel was because of a contract the two of them had formed. But Sebastian had never done anything to harm anyone in the household; in fact he had saved all of their hides more than enough times, so he wasn't seen as a threat.

Do to his otherworldly origins, though, Tanaka knew of a few things that could have put Sebastian in this sort of state. There were a few common illnesses known to affect demons and have this sort of effect. But Sebastian hadn't shown any signs of being sick. The odds of stress being the cause of something like this, was anything but likely.

The only other possibility Tanaka could think of would be a spell. Any spell he could recall had an effect on demons. The trick was identifying the spell, and there were only two possible spells: the Sleeping spell, which was unpredictable. It was up to the one who cast the spell to determine how long the person affected slept. The second spell was ancient and normally able to be casted by immortals. Tanaka's vast years of knowledge helped him learn of this spell… and he desperately hoped that that was not the spell affecting Sebastian.

Tanaka was suddenly jostled from his thoughts by a loud thump outside the door, followed by voices.

"Well, so much for being gentle, William."  
"Oh shut up, would you? You're the reason we're here in the first place."

"I know, I know, I know. But honestly… couldn't have been there an easier way to do this? Maybe send a letter or something?"

"You make it sound as if we haven't committed a crime, Grell. The spell you used was strictly forbidden by immortals. You should be thankful the staffing association didn't have your sorry rump hauled off to prison. All we need to do is find Lord Phantomhive and explain this whole situation to him before Sebastian wakes up."

"Yes, because the moment that happens, I'll be the next name on the To-Die list."

Tanaka had heard more than enough information and he was quick to swing the door open.

Grell instantly jumped back to hide behind William, fearing for a moment that the elderly steward would be Sebastian.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." Tanaka welcomed plainly, "May I ask what brings you to this manor at such an hour, and why you never bothered to use the front door?"

William adjusted his spectacles with his death scythe, "I apologize for having to barge in like this, sir. My name is William T. Spears. I'm afraid there's been an incident involving one of the other servants in this house."

"I suppose you're referring to Sebastian, then?"

"Yes. I came here to explain the matter to Lord Phantomhive. Is it alright if we were to speak to him?"

Tanaka was slightly suspicious of the two men. Although he knew Grell fairly well from his past visits to the manor, he didn't exactly trust him. However, William seemed to have a fair amount of control over the red-headed Reaper and he gestured for them to follow him to Ciel's study.

He knocked twice on the door.

"Come in!" Ciel called from the other side, sounding rather impatient.

Tanaka stepped into the room first, "Pardon the interruption, young master."

"Hope this has something to do with Sebastian…"  
"Well… yes, sir. There are some gentlemen here to see you. They say they can provide answers as to what's happened to him."

"Well, let them in then."

Tanaka gestured for Will and Grell to enter.

Upon seeing them, Ciel's impatience grew, "What do you two want?"

Grell, looking nervous, hid behind William and nudged him forward.

"We know what's wrong with your butler." William started, "It would seem Mr. Sutcliff here got him into a fix, yet again."

"Good, God. What's he done this time?" Ciel asked irritably.

William knew what he was about to tell Ciel wouldn't sound the least bit logical. He could only hope the boy was not so ignorant that he would at least listen to him.

"Well, against better judgment," Will explained, "Grell had dug out an old spell book."

Ciel scoffed, "So that red-headed pervert placed a spell on Sebastian, then?"

"Yes, but it's not just any old spell. It's called the Immortal's Curse. Originally, Grell intended on using it on himself. However he failed to read the cover, which specifies that all the spells within that book are directed towards demons."

"So what is this Immortal's Curse?"

William found no other way he could explain this without avoiding the whole topic completely.

"It is a curse that is able to bend a man's gender so he is able to bear children. I regret to inform you that Sebastian is pregnant with Grell's child."

Ciel paused, "Surely you're joking!"

Only now did Grell speak, "Does Will actually look like the type to pull jokes, brat?"

Ciel took a calming breath, trying to make sense of it all.

"So… this curse… how exactly does it work?"

"The curse, along with a demon's naturally accelerated gestation period, shortens the time the demon is pregnant by over fifty percent."  
"Meaning he'll be pregnant for… how long?"

"Anywhere from two to four weeks."

Ciel's jaw dropped. It was an abnormally short amount of time; demon or not. Surely something like that would do a number on Sebastian's body.

"How on earth do you intend on telling Sebastian this without him murdering Grell for it?" Ciel growled, "The moment he finds out about this—"

"We figured it'd be better for you to tell him this. As for Grell, I will allow Sebastian to carry out his punishment. Whether he murders him or not, his shenanigans have gone too far."

A wild look of fear filled Grell's eyes, "But Will…"

"No buts!" William snapped, "This is what you deserve after all you're putting Reaper-kind through. A lot of us are sticking our necks out for you to avoid prison time."

Grell calmed himself and tried to think of this matter in a more positive way.

"Well, at least I'll be able to spend some quality time with Bassy…"

A smirk crossed William's face, "Grell, let me make something very clear to you right now…"

"What?"

The dark-haired Reaper adjusted his spectacles once more.

"Hell hath no fury like a pregnant demon."


	4. Chapter 4: Waking

Chapter 4: Waking

Sebastian's eyes weakly fluttered open.

His head throbbed, his back ached, and the rest of his body felt stiff. He knew there were a few very good reasons why demons never slept. It wasn't an essential need for them as it was for humans, and along with the thousands of years he had lived, dreams were nothing more than hellish nightmares.

No doubt Ciel was going to lecture him the moment he got up. There was no excuse for him to lie down on the job; neglecting his duties for however many hours he had been asleep. But it was dark outside, so he assumed he had been out of it for quite a while.

Sebastian tried to think of why he had collapsed earlier that day. He hadn't felt fatigued or sick when he was out in the garden. Of course, random fainting spells were not unheard of among demons. If one individual were to go a number of years without a wink of sleep, then it was only a natural occurrence that could happen at any time. But Sebastian had made sure he acquired an hour of sleep – maximum—to avoid such a situation.

With his head still throbbing up a storm, Sebastian rolled on his side, only to be greeted by a pair of lime-green eyes gazing back at him.

"Hi, Sebastian!" a voice giggled.

Although it was dark inside the room, the demon was still able to identify the person lying next to him.

"Grell…" Sebastian's voice came out as a low and exhausted moan, "If you'd be so kind as to remove yourself from the bed."

As if a slave to the demon's request, Grell quickly moved himself from the bed to the door as Sebastian tried to sit up. Sebastian didn't even bother asking why Grell was here, since the red-headed Reaper often came at less convenient times.

"How long have I been asleep?" Sebastian asked.

Grell twiddled his fingers nervously, "T-twelve hours, give or take…"

Twelve hours! Why did no one attempt to wake him up earlier? Or someone had already tried and he just slept that deeply.

Sebastian moved to get out of bed, but Grell protested.

"You really shouldn't move around so much, Bassy. You should relax a bit more."

Something about the way Grell spoke to him instantly gave Sebastian the impression that something was _very _wrong with him.

"Firstly," he started, "you know I hate it when you call me that. Secondly, I only fainted. It happens."

"Yes… but not to demons."

"It occurs with demons, too. Besides, I've been lying around for twelve hours. Master Ciel will not be pleased if I take more time just to goof off."

Despite more protests from Grell, Sebastian stood up. His head very much did not agree with the motion, but he bore through it.

He checked the time on his chain watch.

4:35 a.m.

"Young master is asleep, I assume." Sebastian said to no one in particular, "It'll be a couple of hours before he has to be woken up. I should start on his breakfast."

With a few more nervous whimpers from Grell, Sebastian left the room.

He had only taken a few paces down the hall before he was stopped by another voice.

"It's nice to see you back on your feet, Sebastian."

The butler turned around to find that it was Tanaka who had stopped him. But what was the house steward doing up this early?

"Thank you." Sebastian said, "I apologize for being asleep for so long."

"It's not your fault… I believe congratulations are in order…"

Sebastian tilted his head in question, "I beg your pardon?"

Tanaka never gave him a direct answer. He only bowed once and returned to his room.

Two occurrences of abnormal behavior within the hour. It only made Sebastian all the more concerned that something was very, _very_ wrong with him. But he was determined not to be slowed down by mere assumptions.

Unfortunately, cooking breakfast was no walk in the park. The smell of waffle batter and scrambled eggs cooking was enough to send the butler running for the nearest trashcan more than once.

"What's happening to me?" he wondered, "Could it be related to my faint earlier?"

Though his thoughts weren't anywhere near convincing, he didn't want to start thinking along the lines of "worst-case scenario". Ciel still needed him. Their contract still hadn't been fulfilled. If this was something serious—more along the lines of fatal—their contract would become void and a massive waste of time for them both.

Sebastian managed to finish his young master's breakfast in an acceptable amount of time. However, he couldn't ignore the fact that the very smell of the food made him sick. But he knew whatever kind of condition he had, he would have to save it for his spare time.


	5. Chapter 5: Suspicions

Chapter 5: Suspicions

"Young Master, it is time for you to wake up."

Ciel instantly stirred at the sound of Sebastian's voice. He smelled waffles, scrambled eggs, toast, and Earl Grey tea, freshly brewed. But looking at his butler, he could tell the smells of the meal were making him sick. For his sanity's sake, he hoped what he was told the day before was only a dream.

Ciel sat up and stretched his limbs, not taking his eyes off of Sebastian. Even as he ate his breakfast and drank his tea, and even as Sebastian laid out his clothes, the young earl never broke his gaze.

The staring made Sebastian uneasy. Ciel usually ignored him when he went about his business in the room, but now Ciel didn't even leave him out of his sights; a third unusual occurrence that did more than just unsettle Sebastian, it terrified him.

"Is something wrong, sir?" he asked as he buttoned Ciel's shirt.

Only now did Ciel break eye contact and move his gaze to the window. It was clear to Sebastian that the boy knew something, but wasn't entirely willing to say exactly what.

"About what happened yesterday…" Ciel finally muttered.

"I know, sir. I'm sorry." Sebastian said, "I'm not sure what came over me. But, I'm fine now."

Ciel's eyes were clouded with doubt. He could see it.

"If I may ask, sir." Sebastian spoke up, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"… Have you ever heard of something called the Immortal's Curse, Sebastian?"

The butler froze at the question. He was all too familiar with that curse. He had casted it himself a few times, as a matter of fact; usually for his own, wicked purposes. How Ciel came to know of such a curse, he didn't know.

"I have." Sebastian said plainly.

"Do you know anything about it?"

Chuckle managed its way up Sebastian's throat, "I've used it on a few beings in my early days. But when too many immortals began getting exposed to the humans, it created a panic. So the three most powerful individuals of each immortal breed—the angels, the demons, and the Grim Reapers—all agreed that the curse, along with a dozen others, were to be banned." He turned to Ciel, who fidgeted in his seat on the bed, "Why do you ask?"

Ciel shifted again and he relieved a deep sigh, "From what William told me yesterday, Grell tried to use it on himself."

Sebastian merely shook his head, "Why does that not surprise me? And…?"

"Something went wrong."

"That's not surprising, either. Many immortals accidently became pregnant because someone wasn't paying close enough attention to the exact beings the curse effected. So… I assume that's what happened with Grell?"

Ciel gave a curt nod, "Grell intended to make himself pregnant, but…"

"… but it ended up having the opposite effect?"

Ciel nodded again.

Sebastian chuckled again and turned to leave.

As he opened the door, he looked back to Ciel, "Just out of curiosity, do you know who ended up getting effected by the curse?"

A nervous lump grew into Ciel's throat, but he managed to swallow it, "… you."

That one word was all it took to stop Sebastian dead in his tracks. He didn't doubt that Grell would try something like this. The Reaper _was_ infatuated with him, after all. But to think he would not only attempt to use the curse on himself to bear his child, but winded up getting the curse wrong and had it affect him, instead?

Sebastian turned around to look at Ciel. His eyes were wide and his breath was caught in his throat. He knew for a fact his master hadn't lied, and it was the only way to explain why he fainted in the garden before. There was no way for him to deny it…

He was pregnant with Grell's child.


	6. Chapter 6: Thinking

Chapter 6: Thinking

Sebastian could feel panic rise in his chest. Not only was he pregnant, he was pregnant with Grell's child; the child of a Grim Reaper; a creature who despised his kind. Though Grell was defective in that sense. And he hadn't got pregnant by any normal means. There were more reasons the Immortal's Curse had been banned from use, aside from what he told Ciel. Logically, a males body—immortal or not, and made possible by the curse or not—was not adapt to bearing children. Yes, the curse made natural birth possible, but it was increasingly difficult.

Sebastian leaned against the wall beside the door to steady himself. He tried not to look so terrified in front of Ciel, who still watched him from his seat on his bed. But it was useless. Sebastian was terrified and there was no way for him to keep the expression from crossing his face.

Everything made sense now. The reason Tanaka congratulated him in the hallway, the reason Grell didn't want him to get out of bed, the reason Ciel had kept staring at him, it was all because they knew.

And Grell…

Sebastian felt anger boil its way into his chest. For all he knew, he'd tear the Reaper limb from limb the next time he saw him. He knew Grell desperately wanted to bear his children, and he couldn't have cared less if he had used the curse on himself, and _succeeded_. But mistakes with spells were unforgivable crimes among immortals. How Grell managed to avoid jail time or a death penalty was a mystery, but Sebastian sure wasn't going to allow that red-headed pervert go unpunished.

"Maybe you should sit down, Sebastian." Ciel suggested.

Sebastian could only nod and sit in a nearby chair. He let his head fall in his hands and rocked himself as he tried to think of what to do next. Should he go on with his usual routine? Should he find Grell and snap him in half for what he did? He most certainly wasn't going to mope about it for the rest of the day. Whether he was ready for it or not, he was going to be a parent.

Eventually, Sebastian calmed himself down to the point where he could speak, "This is going to be difficult…"

An entirely true statement, the way Sebastian thought about it. Whatever happened within the next few weeks until after the child was born was going to be difficult. It wasn't just his sake he was concerned for. If any enemies of the Phantomhive family caught wind of this, the name would be ruined for eternity. And as the butler to the Phantomhive's, he could not allow that to happen.

"Can I ask you something?" Ciel piped up.

"Of course, master."

"Can demons reproduce? And if they can, are the able to care for the child?"

Sebastian rubbed at his chin, "Demons do reproduce. Those who don't make contracts start families; finding mates before any human has a chance to summon them. Some of us have enough of a heart left to care for our children, but a lot of careless parents abandon their children."

"And is the Immortal's Curse the only way for this sort of thing to happen?"

"Actually, no. Some male demons are able to bear children. However, not a lot of members in my family had this ability; therefore I believe I never gained it. That's not to say it isn't completely impossible, though."

Ciel nodded, "And as for Grell… William said that his punishment is up to you."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at him, "William said that?"

Ciel nodded again.

Sebastian scoffed, "I hope he prefers him in pieces, then."


	7. Chapter 7: Concerns

Chapter 7: Concerns

Ciel and the three other servants in the household listened with peaked interest to the noises being emitted from the other side of the door to the spare bedroom. For a few minutes it sounded as if Sebastian had decided to deliver Grell's punishment in the form of a midmorning rendezvous, but with the loud smashing of furniture and the blows of a fist landing on tender flesh, it was clear—very clear—that Sebastian intended to unleash _all_ of his rage out on the red-haired Reaper.

As for Sebastian, he was having a rather pleasant time hitting, kicking, pushing, crushing, twisting, and even biting Grell. He swung him by his hair and bashed him against a wall. He lifted the reaper up and brought him down hard on his knee, as if he meant to break a stick in half. He even took Grell by the belt of his trousers and hung him from them on the chandelier until the belt tore and the Reaper landed flat on his face.

"Sebby…" Grell moaned, "You really should relax a bit… you are—"

"_Shut up_!" Sebastian hissed as began beating Grell with the broken leg of a wooden chair. It was clear he wasn't willing to talk about the matter until all of his rage had been unleashed.

After an hour, Sebastian exited the room with an amused smile on his face.

"I'm fairly certain he's learned his lesson." He said.

Grell had been reduced to a bloody pulp in the bedroom. His ankles bent awkwardly in the wrong directions, blood poured from his nose, both of his eyes were beaten black, his limbs had deep claw marks running down them, there were vicious bite marks around his neck and shoulders, there were a few bare spots on his scalp where hair had been ripped out, every nail on both hands had been broken, and the parts of his body that weren't scraped up were severely bruised. Moving was absolutely painful, and standing on broken ankles really wasn't an option. Of course, Grell knew if he could get his ankles in the proper position and keep them there, they would heal on a couple of hours and be as good as new the next day, but he was quite sensitive to pain.

As for the room, the rugs were mangled, two chairs were in pieces, the mattress to the bed was overturned, and bloodstains covered the carpet.

Ciel sighed, though he wasn't sure if it was in amusement or in annoyance, "Mey-Rin, have this room cleaned up at once."

"Yes, sir!" she acknowledged, and raced off to gather cleaning materials.

In the meantime, Ciel wanted to try to figure out where Sebastian had walked off to.

After an hour of searching in the more obvious places—the kitchen, the study, and his bedroom—Ciel eventually found Sebastian in his own bedroom, or rather the bathroom that was _attached _to his bedroom. The sounds of someone dry heaving on the other side of the door was enough to concern Ciel.

He knocked on it softly.

"Who is it?"

"It's just me, Sebastian, open up."

Another gag came from behind the door.  
"Don't come in here, Young master." Sebastian's voice sounded raspy and weak, "You don't need to see this."

Ciel leaned his forehead on the door, "You know, I think it would be better if…"

"… If what?"

"I think it would be better if you would relax until the end of your pregnancy."

"… agreed."

"Tanaka can fill in for you."

"Indeed…"

It wasn't so unusual for Sebastian to agree with most of the things that came out of Ciel's mouth. However, his butler wasn't mindless and only slave to what Ciel wanted; he had his own priorities, too.

"Sebastian, is that alright to you?" Ciel asked.

"If it's what you think is best for this current situation…" he heard Sebastian heave into the toilet once more, "… then I can live with it for now."

Ciel felt slightly irritated, "No, Sebastian. Are you comfortable leaving your position as butler until the baby comes? And tell me the truth."

There was a long, awkward silence between the two of them before finally Sebastian sighed.

"Young master… if you were to catch glimpse of my current state… even I can't work like this. And it's only going to get worse. Although it doesn't sit right with me that I must leave your side for now, it's something I have to do. My current condition hinders my ability to perform my duties properly."

Ciel nodded, "Alright, then." Ciel turned to leave but stopped to call over his shoulder, "I still want you to do my morning routine and fetch me my tea and dessert, though. I don't trust Bard to cook my meals or brew my tea properly."

Before he left the room, he heard Sebastian call to him.

"Yes, my lord."


	8. Chapter 8: Leaving

Chapter 8: Leaving

Days passed with much of the same thing; Ciel's morning routine, tea, dessert, breaks, and the occasional beating on Grell every so often. It seemed no matter how much the Reaper insisted Sebastian relaxed, the expecting butler still had the occasional need to unleash his frustrations. However, Sebastian's moodiness had its perks. Whenever Grell caught him in a good mood on break, the end result was usually a five to ten minute snuggle before Sebastian had to get up and do something; whether it was related to his duties or simply having the need to vomit into the nearest toilet.

However, he became aware that his luck was slowly diminishing. William, taking it upon himself to inform the household of any problems involving Grell's crime, had just recently told them all that Grell was officially a wanted man.

"Government officials are everywhere." He said, "They want nothing to do with Sebastian, but they want to see to it that Grell is put in prison."

The news came as no surprise to Grell and Sebastian, but that didn't stop Grell from making scene and gaining another aggravated beating from Sebastian.

"It won't be long before their patrols start searching around here." William continued, "I suggest that if you don't want to get captured, Grell, you'll go into hiding. Try heading to France, or Germany; places where they've already checked."

But Grell refused.

"I won't leave!" He screeched, "I won't abandon Bassy or our child. I'll fight them, if I have to!"

"Then you're just asking for a death sentence. If you fight them, there's a chance that they will… no, they _will_ kill you!"

It was either leave or die fighting for Grell. The odds of him taking on a full Reaper government patrol and coming out alive were slim to none. The odds of him at least returning to Sebastian if he went into hiding were at least slightly greater than those of his other options.

Grell threw his arms around Sebastian and sobbed. It was obvious to him that Grell didn't want to leave. Sebastian's gaze moved from the distressed reaper to William, who simply looked on with that emotionless glare of his.

"Grell, pull yourself together." Sebastian sighed irritably as he felt a headache brew, "I'll be fine."

"But you don't know that!" Grell whimpered, and soon he was rambling questions, "What if something goes wrong and I'm not there to help? What if the patrol decides to attack you? What if we lose the baby?"

It was those lines of thinking Sebastian had tried to avoid in these past few days. He'd grown rather fond of the idea of becoming a parent, and he had even grown use to Grell's constant panic attacks whenever he needed something, or whenever he got too tired, or whenever he'd have a fit of morning sickness.

Yes, Grell was a very overprotective parent, indeed.

Sebastian merely sighed, "I'll be careful, I promise you that."

Though his words were only there to reassure Grell, it wasn't a total lie. As it turned out, beating on the Reaper was the most stressful thing Sebastian did every day, and they were nowhere near as violent or aggressive as the first beating he'd given him. And every day, he slowed down a little more to make sure he didn't over work himself or risk harming the baby.

Grell, though he was still reluctant, nodded in understanding, "Fine. One week, no more."

William rolled his eyes, "You'll be in hiding as long as the other Reapers are out looking for you. Whether that's one week or another three."

Sebastian was well aware of the law. The spell caster was wanted until the child was born; only then would the charges be cleared. Of course what difference did that make? Once the spell was cast, there was nothing that could be done about the child. The tricky nature of the Immortal's Curse made abortions fatal to not only the child, but the parent as well, and since the spell couldn't be reversed, the end result was inevitable.

Grell could only side with his superior. Though leaving temporarily was hard, fighting a getting executed—leaving forever—was unforgivable. He hugged Sebastian one last time before leaving with William, who promised to find his co-worker a descent hiding place.

And just like that, the headache was gone…


	9. Chapter 9: Trouble

Chapter 9: Trouble

A week had passed since Grell went into hiding. Although Sebastian was relieved the red-haired pest was gone for now, the stresses of his pregnancy were more than just overwhelming.

The child inside him had started kicking; which was rather painful for the expecting demon. The combination of the incompatibility of the Immortal's Curse and his thinner, smaller framed body made a kick feel like a punch in the gut. Just as well, Sebastian's swelling stomach marked the growth of his child, making him unable to go outside or out in public out of fear of being seen and also preventing him from moving around more freely.

What was just as irritating to him was the fact that the performance of his duties had slowed down significantly, causing problems in Ciel's schedule. Though the young earl had told the butler that it was "no big deal" it was a very, a _very_ big deal to Sebastian. He was unaccustomed to his master allowing himself to be woken up late, or getting his midmorning tea and dessert at noon; along with his lunch. He wasn't used to not getting scolded or glared upon. He wasn't used to the lack of obscure orders assaulting his ears. He wasn't used to having to take breaks…

As Sebastian brewed Ciel's afternoon tea, he let his mind wander. He hadn't heard word from William on Grell. He didn't know where the red-headed Reaper was or if he was even still alive. Sebastian never thought he'd think of Grell so fondly, especially since his ongoing fantasies of babies and having the butler for himself annoyed him each time the gender-confused man brought up the topics. Perhaps it was now that one of Grell's fantasies had become a reality—even though it affected the opposite person— that Sebastian was now beginning to accept him. As a mate, a companion, or just as a friend… all that he was still unsure about. He figured he'd worry more about these matters when… or _if_ Grell returned, as promised.

As Sebastian was about to set the tray of tea he'd prepared on the cart he always used to carry Ciel's desserts and beverages to him, he felt the baby deliver a sharp kick to his sides; a truly painful kick that forced him to let go of the tray and cry out. The pain distracted him momentarily before he realized the tray of tea had left his hands. He instinctively brought his foot out to catch the tray, as this was not the first time the movements of his unborn child had caused him to drop something.

To his surprise the tray never landed on the toe of his shoe, nor did it tragically crash onto the floor. To his astonishment, as he looked down, he realized Mey-Rin had thrown herself at his feet, the tray of tea sitting perfectly in her hands. Not a drop of tea had been spilled, none of the pieces of the tea set had been chipped, cracked, broken, and none of the desserts had been ruined.

"Thank you, Mey-Rin." Sebastian said, sighing with relief.

"You're welcome, Mr. Sebastian." The maid giggled as she stood to set the try on the tea cart, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It was just a kick."

"Are you sure?"

Sebastian nodded, "It's happened before. I assure you, I'm alright."

Mey-Rin smiled softly and blushed, "I can bring the young master his tea for you, if you'd like."

Originally, Sebastian would have declined the offer on the spot. But he realized as the days dragged on that he was becoming less capable of doing his work. Now that the vital two weeks of his pregnancy had passed, it was all a waiting game. If the child took on more Reaper-like qualities, he could deliver any day. If the child gained more demon-like characteristics, it was likely he'd be carrying this child for another week. But either way he looked at it, Sebastian knew it would be better for him to rest and relax.

He allowed Mey-Rin to take the tea to Ciel while deciding to take a break for a while. A short nap in his bed sounded heavenly.


	10. Chapter 10: Hiding

Chapter 10: Hiding

Grell hated this. He hated this a lot! He missed Sebastian. He missed their baby. He worried about them both.

The streets of France were no place for him to hide. Why on earth did William choose to put him here? True, he hadn't caught sight of any of the patrols, but surely William could have chosen a less smelly, less crowded place to put him where he could hide.

Grell forced himself to stay at one of the most rundown hotels he'd ever seen; even though he had more than enough money to stay at a high-luxury five star hotel. The carpets here smelled of urine and rat and mouse droppings, the bed smelled of sweat, body odor, and he-didn't-want-to-know-what, the pillows smelled equally as bad and were stained yellow, the paint on the walls was pealing, there were cracks in the ceiling, and from up and downstairs came the shouts of angry neighbors. Oh how he wished he could cut the throat of that wench who called her husband a cheater and a liar. Oh how he wished to stab the man who stabbed and raped the little lady from across the hall. And how he oh, so wished to reap all of these terrible people his gleaming scarlet chainsaw. How he wished Bassy was here to snuggle against him and make this repulsive place heaven.

But alas, Sebastian was back in London and he was here in some small, smelly town in France.

He wondered what Sebastian was doing. Working? Not likely, if he knew the Immortal's Curse well enough. Then again, not even a bullet to the head could stop the demon from being the proper butler brat Phantomhive deserved. Sleeping? Grell sighed at the thought. How peaceful dear Sebby looked deep in slumber. How he loved to listen to the steady beating of his heart and watched the demon snuggle against the sheets and pillows and him as he dreamed…

Did demons dream?

Grell was oblivious to the tears rolling down his face as mutters escaped his lips.

"Bassy… Bassy… Oh, how I miss you, dear Bassy."

It wasn't until one of his tears hit the corner of his mouth and its salty taste coated his tongue did he realize he was crying. And as if the tears carried some horrible spell of their own, Grell buried his face into the stinky, grimy pillows and cried until he unwillingly fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11: Mey-Rin

Chapter 11: Mey-Rin

Sebastian lay in his bed, hugging his largest pillow close to him. He squeezed it gently, then violently, then he buried his face in it; he repeated this cycle as needed. But it still wasn't the same. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he missed having Grell there to snuggle against.

Neither the pillows nor the one dozen cats in his wardrobe satisfied the need. He wanted someone to hold, or someone to hold him. Grell could at least do that much. Sure, his voice was annoying and the smell of the perfume he'd wear made Sebastian sicker than when he brewed Ciel's tea, but because of his pregnancy he craved the comfort of a partner; especially since he was so close to delivering. But Grell was still in hiding, if he was still alive and out of prison.

Ciel, without a doubt, would refuse to hold him. Bard? Unless he was drunk, no way. Finny? Much too strong. Mey-Rin… hell, she'd get nosebleeds so bad, she'd bleed all over him. However, it was highly unlikely she would refuse.

The thought made the butler blush a little. He'd never given two thoughts to Mey-Rin. All of his thoughts, feelings, and priorities were channeled to Ciel and his own job as a butler. The maid, however, loved Sebastian dearly. Everything from the smiles she gave him to the blush that would always appear on her face to how her clumsiness seemed to increase when he was around just screamed that she wanted him; _him_, no one else.

He thought through his options carefully. If, by the off chance, Grell was still alive, out of prison, and willing to return, picking a new partner would be damaging to the soon-to-be father. Grell would never forgive him. But since when did he care what that Reaper thought? He'd rejected him several times and had even sent the flamboyant home crying a few times. Truth be told, it wasn't upsetting Grell alone that made Sebastian think more carefully, it was the possibility that Grell might try to take away their child; and as the one carrying and going to birth the child, Sebastian wasn't going to allow that to happen.

Then there was Mey-Rin.

Sebastian knew the maid was heartbroken at the news of his pregnancy. At the time the news spread throughout the mansion, Mey-Rin was sure her chances at being with the stoic butler had been dashed. Of course, with no notable intention on making Grell his partner or his mate, Sebastian was able to reassure the maid that he was not interested in the Reaper; let alone interested in being with or breeding with him. All he craved from him was the snuggling, and he was certain that was the baby's doing. Mey-Rin was just as bubbly as ever knowing she just might still have a chance at having the man she loved so much; even if it was as small of a chance as the bullets she loaded her sniper rifle with.

Realistically, Sebastian could see the maid being a better mother-figure than Grell. But with him being a butler and her being a maid, there would be no way for them to ever be together-together without Ciel's consent. Companions, yes. A pair? They could only become a pair either by Ciel's consent, or he'd have to wait until their contract was fulfilled… _whenever __**that **_might be!


	12. Chapter 12: Snuggling

**((Now that things are up and running again, I can update chapters more often. This chapter I changed a lot from the hand-written version to try to make it fit a bit better. I hope you like it))**

Chapter 12: Snuggling

Mey-Rin approached Sebastian's door warily.

It had been a couple of hours since she had last seen Sebastian, and, although she knew she shouldn't be, she was worried. It was likely the expecting butler was only sleeping, but that didn't stop the maid from constantly checking on him.

She stood in front of the door, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Knowing the way Sebastian's mood swings could go, Mey-Rin could either be welcomed warmly or he could break her in half and swallow her whole. She hated being snapped at and scolded by Sebastian, but even if it meant being chewed up and spit out by the butler, that was a risk she was willing to take.

She gave three steady knocks on the door.

"Who is it?" a voice asked softly from inside the room.

"It's only me, Mr. Sebastian."

"Come in, then."

As she entered the room, Mey-Rin saw Sebastian lying in bed. The butler looked tired, almost as if he hadn't gotten any sleep within the past few days.

"Are you okay?" Mey-Rin asked.

"I'm tired," Sebastian sighed, confirming the maid's suspicions, "but, somehow, I can't sleep."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

There was a hesitant look in Sebastian's eyes; a look Mey-Rin had never seen from him before.

Finally, his lips parted, "Will you stay here with me?"

The blood instantly rushed to Mey-Rin's face. Sebastian had never asked her to stay with him before. In fact, every time she tried to flirt with him, he would simply ignore her and walk off. Maybe it was his mood swings, or maybe the butler just had a change of heart.

"What about Grell?" she asked, "He's the father. What would he say if… what would he do if…?"

"Mey-Rin, please," Sebastian's voice had lowered. It was quiet like and pleading, as if there was no one else there to help him, "Grell is in hiding, and William hasn't said a word about him. And even if he does return… I don't have feelings for him. He was the thing I snuggled against for comfort, that's all. Besides, I don't see him as a good parental figure for our child. Chainsaws, death, blood, obsessed with men…"

Although most of things Sebastian rambled off were perfectly normal for his kind, even demons were strict about their partners and the last thing he wanted was a hybrid that acted completely like Grell. It didn't seem possible for demons to prioritize love, care and compassion when it came to families, but it was; their demonic nature surfacing when they left home as a survival instinct.

With no interest in arguing the point any further, Mey-Rin settled herself beside Sebastian in bed.

The butler looked over the maid's bushing face with tired eyes. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to himself. Almost instantly, Sebastian's eyes closed and he fell asleep.

Although it wasn't exactly comfortable to be pressed against Sebastian's swollen stomach, Mey-Rin didn't mind. A combination of watching Sebastian sleep and keeping herself from getting a nosebleed proved distracting enough until she too fell asleep, wrapped securely in Sebastian's arms.


	13. Chapter 13: Truth

Chapter 13: Truth

Grell ran as quickly as he could down the empty streets of France as his pursuers remained hot on his tail. He had been found by a Reaper patrol—despite William's best efforts to hide him—and now that the patrol had found him, there was no chance Grell would be able to escape.

Among the patrol was Eric Slingby, Alan Humphreys, Ronald Knox, as well as a few others that belonged to the government; all gnashing their teeth to capture Grell in exchange for the money reward that had been offered.

"Ronnie," Grell pleaded to the blond-haired, younger Reaper, "surely you aren't like the rest of these brutes. You can probably understand why—"

"Shut up, Sutcliff!" Ronald shouted with his lawnmower death scythe aiming for the red Reaper's long hair.

Grell managed to dodge the blow and keep running.

"Alan, you're a sensible person. This is all just a misunder—"

"We know what you did, Grell." Alan's voice was raised, but it was reasonably calm as well, "Mr. Spears has confirmed it."

So William had spread the word. How much more had he told the patrols? Was he the one who gave away Grell's hiding place?

"Eric…" Grell started.

Eric dove after the red head, scythe drawn, "Don't even bother, Sutcliff!"

Out of options and about to be cornered in an alley, Grell leaped for the rooftops; springing from house to house, trying to gain more distance between him and the mob. His mind reeled at what could happen to him if the mob caught him. He would be mauled, for sure. He could be arrested. He could be killed.

None of the options were in anyway satisfying.

"Sebastian doesn't even love you!" Ronald commented, running alongside Grell, "Why can't you get that through your head?"

Grell took a swipe at him with his death scythe, missing the younger Reaper's head by inches.

"Shut up, you runt!" he hissed.

But Ronald had a point. Sebastian didn't really love him. The pregnancy made him clingy, and that's why he always cuddled up to him and accepted his presence when he slept. For all he knew, Sebastian was probably cuddled against that damn brat of his, Ciel, or maybe he was being held by that carrot-top gardener, or that clumsy maid; someone that wasn't him.

Tears brimmed in Grell's eyes, clouding his vision. Sebastian was pregnant with his child; due any day. He would hold Grell and even let him in his bed. And even still… there was no love. No, if a demon _could_ love a Reaper, it was a rare occurrence, one that was never likely to happen to him.

Trying to lose the mob, Grell leaped back down into the streets below and hid in a dark, unlit alleyway; pressing himself against a building to avoid any possibly light emitted by the moon and stars. It baffled him to find that that's all it took to shake the pursuing Grim Reapers off his trail.

Apparently they couldn't see well enough with their spectacles.

Grell was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he felt the cold, sharp metal of a death scythe slide under his throat; its clipping ends hovering just above the skin.

"Whatever you do, don't scream." A familiar voice whispered; it was emotionless and stale.

William.

Grell was backed up into the building he stood beside. It was a small cozy home with a fire crackling in the fireplace and soup cooking on a stove in the kitchen.

William removed his death scythe from Grell's throat and quickly shut all the blinds and curtains and locked the door.

"You know, a warning would have been nice, Will." Grell groaned.

"Yes, well a warning could have gotten their attention. Then you'd never shake them."

William sat down at a dining table and sipped contently from a cup of coffee that must have been brewed not long ago.

Grell sat across from him with crossed arms, "So you gave my location to them just to put me here?"

Will gave Grell a questioning glance, "What are you talking about?"

"Come on! Nobody knew my exact location except for you. And then the next thing I know, I've got a patrol after me!"

"Clam down, Grell. I never told anyone where you were. It might have just been a coincidence."

An unconvinced "hmph" escaped Grell's mouth, but he managed to let the subject go.

"How's Bassy?" He asked.

"Huge," William said curtly, not exactly pleased the subject changed to the demon so suddenly, "He could deliver any day."

"Did you say anything about me? Did you let him know I'm alright?"

The way William looked at him said everything. He hadn't bothered to update Sebastian on Grell's whereabouts. And he knew it would be tragic for Grell to learn that Sebastian wouldn't accept him as his partner, mate, or anything of the sort. So he just left the expecting demon be.

"Why?" Grell asked, distraught, "Why didn't you tell him?"

"I've watched him closely over the past couple of weeks." Will said, "He's made it clear… very clear that he does not want you to father the child. Of course, due to your more feminine nature, he referred to you as more of a mother-figure. In your absence, he has resulted to snuggling against the maid, Mey-Rin. He's even considering her as a parent figure."

Grell's suspicions had sadly been confirmed and nothing could stop him from putting his head down on the table and crying.


	14. Chapter 14: Birth

Chapter 14: Birth

"…Rin… -ey-Rin… Mey-Rin!"

Mey-Rin woke with a start; the feeling of someone shaking her jostling her from sleep.

"Mey-Rin, wake up!"

It was dark inside the room. it was clearly late, but despite the lack of light she could still identify the voice next to her that belonged to the person still shaking her shoulder gently.

"Huh? Mr. Sebastian?"

Her hands reached blindly to her right side, searching for the nightstand where she remembered a lamp sitting. After a few blind grabs, her hands found that lamp and the tips of her fingers worked to flick it on.

Looking beside her, she saw Sebastian sitting on his knees. He was leaned forward on one hand while the other ran up and down his curved stomach. The skin on his face glistened with sweat, his face was twisted in pain, and his breaths came out in steady pants.

Mey-Rin shot up, "Sebastian, what is it? A kick?"

Sebastian shook his head as a response, "No… it-it's definitely a contraction. It's time."

"W-well, what can I do?"

As the contraction ended, Sebastian instructed Mey-Rin to fetch blankets and towels, as well as a pair of scissors. The maid raced to gather everything that was asked for and placed them on the desk nearby and then turned for the door.

"I'll go inform the young master."

"No, don't…" Sebastian panted as another contraction took hold of him.

"What? Why?"

"For one thing… it's late. Not to mention he really doesn't need to see me like this. And… and the labor from the Immortal's C-Curse is usually fast. I should be ready t-to push soon."

Mey-Rin nodded in understanding, although she was scared to death knowing she would be the only one there to help Sebastian. Her mind was firmly fixed on "worst-case scenario". What if the baby was breech? What if something went wrong? What if the baby was stillborn? What if there was more than one baby? What if Sebastian wasn't able to deliver and he…?

She tried to push all of that out of her mind as she sat beside Sebastian, allowing him to grip her hand and nuzzle her cheek as he managed through several more contractions; moaning and stifling screams as things progressed far too quickly for his liking. He had stripped himself up his pants and underwear, but still kept his lower half covered with the sheets and blankets of his bed.

Sebastian let out a small scream as he felt the strong urge to bear down with his next contraction. He had only been in labor for an hour, and the fast pace filled his stomach, back and pelvis with agonizing pain. It made his head spin. A demon's labor was twice as painful as that of a human, and sped up by the Immortal's Curse it was too much for any being to bear.

He propped himself up on his elbows and braced himself for the next contraction.

"M-Mey… Mey-Rin?"

"Yes?"

"I n-need you to move down t-to catch the baby. I can't do it myself in this state."

Mey-Rin struggled to keep her thoughts together as she moved to the other end of the bed. If she would have let her guard down, undoubtedly she would have collapsed in a massive nosebleed. But Sebastian needed her help now, and she pushed all thoughts aside as she positioned herself between Sebastian's legs.

Sebastian panted heard as another contraction took hold of him. The pain was downright unbearable, but he pushed the thought out of his mind as he curled forward and bore down; holding it until the contraction passed. Sweat made his hair and clothes cling to skin, making his movements uncomfortable.

For some time, the only sound that filled the room was the heavy breathing from Sebastian and the soft spoken words of encouragement from Mey-Rin. As his labor progressed, Sebastian found it increasingly difficult to stifle the screams that threatened to pass his lips, and he often found himself moaning, as making noise seemed to help him cope with the pain.

Another small scream breeched his lips as Sebastian felt the baby travel lower, causing a building amount of pain and pressure at the baby's birthing exit.

"You're doing great, Sebastian." Mey-Rin said, smiling, "I can see the top of the baby's head."

Sebastian arched his back and pushed once more as another contraction ripped through his body. He couldn't help but cry out and hiss as he felt a powerful burning sensation as he began to deliver the baby's head.

"You're okay, Sebastian." Mey-Rin soothed, rubbing as his knee, trying to comfort him.

Another contraction ended, leaving Sebastian panting. Whatever relief he felt was short-lived as another took hold. Sebastian gasped as he was forced to continue to push once more; the burning sensation increasing until the pain forced him to scream.

"It's alright, Sebastian." Mey-Rin said, "The head is almost out. One more push."

Sebastian took a few deep breaths and bore down once more; trying with every ounce of strength he had to ignore the pain until he finally felt the baby's head leave his body. The pain he had felt as he was delivering the head was quickly replaced by that of the shoulders as they began to slide out of his body. Sebastian was exhausted, and he didn't know how much more he could take of the Immortal Curse's unbearable pains.

Unwilling to give up—as it was not in his nature—Sebastian took a deep breath and pushed; no longer bothering to hold back the moans and screams the had risen into his throat.

It pained Mey-Rin to see the man she loved go through so much pain. His threshold was high; she knew that. It always amazed her all the times Sebastian would return to the mansion with Ciel, covered in deep wounds that looked much too painful for anyone to bear. And yet, Sebastian would carry them for days without so much as a complaint. To hear him now, moaning and screaming, desperate to bring his child into the world—a child that hadn't even been thought of three weeks ago—it was all enough to bring Mey-Rin to the brink of tears.

Another contraction assaulted Sebastian's body before he could brace himself for it. He had little energy left to push and resorted to panting. One breath… two breaths… three, four, five… six breaths, until he arched his back and cried out.

Another cry hit the air, overlapping with Sebastian's.

A massive amount of relief washed over Sebastian's body and he collapsed onto the mattress. The pain and the pressure and the burning vanished from his body in an instant.

He turning his head towards Mey-Rin, who held his squirming, wailing newborn in her arms, quickly cleaning the blood and fluids off with the towels.

"Congratulations, Sebastian." She said, smiling, "It's a girl!"

The maid quickly wrapped the tiny infant in a layer of blankets and nestled her in Sebastian's arms.

Sebastian smiled down on his newborn baby, taking in every detail.

The child's hair was the same crimson color Grell bared, but the child also bore the red, slitted eyes and black nails of a demon. She was slightly smaller than most newborns; about three-quarters of the size of a full-term human baby. However, this size was normal for demon infants and it was clear that Sebastian's daughter had indeed taken on a demon form.

Mey-Rin sat down beside them, staring in awe, "What are you going to call her?"

"I don't know, yet." Sebastian admitted, "Truthfully, I think that's something Grell deserves to help decide. He _is_ the father, after all."


	15. Chapter 15: Ciel

Chapter 15: Ciel

"… Master… -ung Master… Young Master."

Ciel's eyes fluttered open and darted to the figure that stood at the foot of his bed. It was still dark out; the sunrise nowhere in sight in the horizon.

The young earl glared at the figure; it's nasally voice clearly identifying its owner.

"What do you want, Mey-Rin?" he asked irritably, "Isn't it a little _early_ to be waking me up?"

"I know it is, young master." Mey-Rin replied, "But I wouldn't have come if there weren't a good reason."

A candle lit up and Ciel could see the maid's face clearly. She looked tired, yet her face was still lit up with beams of excitement.

"It's Sebastian…" she said plainly.

"What about him?"

And then Ciel paused. It occurred to him that Mey-Rin had referred to the butler simply as "Sebastian" instead of "Mr. Sebastian" as she always did. Along with this, Ciel could think of only one reason why he would be woken up because of him.

The realization made Ciel leap out of bed, "Sebastian…"

Mey-Rin only responded with a nod.

"How… how is he? Is he alright?"

"He's fine. He and the baby are fine."

Ciel's eyes were wide. He wondered why he hadn't been woken up earlier by any noises that had been made. Maybe Sebastian had been strong enough to bear the child without so much as uttering a single moan or maybe it was just the fact that Ciel had been sleeping so soundly in his bed that he never heard.

"Can I see him?" he asked.

Mey-Rin giggled, "That's the reason I came to wake you up, sir."

The reply was enough. Ciel ran from his room down the hall, not bothering to change out of his nightshirt as he made his way towards the servant's quarters. It was quiet and peaceful.

The door to Sebastian's room was left wide open and Ciel found himself slowing his pace as he got closer.

From beyond the doorway, he could see Sebastian lying in bed, sleeping soundly. He looked tired and drained; more so than any other time Sebastian had been worked to his limits. His once curved stomach was flat once more, indicating the absence of his child. And resting in his arms, wrapped in a clean, white blanket, was a small infant, who was sleeping almost as soundly as its father.

Mey-Rin quietly tiptoed past Ciel and gently scooped the little bundle out of Sebastian's arms. The baby made a small noise at the motion, but still stayed quiet.

"Would you like to hold her, my lord?" the maid asked.

Ciel nodded, allowing the tiny bundle to be placed in his arms.

The baby made a soft cooing noise and her eyes fluttered open.

Ciel found himself caught in a trance; unable to look away from the red, feline eyes that seemed to be just as fixed on him; the royal blue color of the boy's eye seeming foreign, yet somehow familiar. The infant reached up a small hand and placed it upon his cheek. The touch was familiar, as well; not just to the infant, but to Ciel, too. The baby's skin had a similar, smooth touch to Sebastian's skin.

The baby smiled and gave a small laugh before drawing its hand back into the blankets and falling asleep once more.

Ciel was unable to hide the smile that had crossed his lips. His gaze veered from the infant to Sebastian, who still slept soundly in bed. A hand strayed to the man's forehead and pushed his bangs back in a kind stroke the was similar to the way Ciel's father, Vincent, the previous earl Phantomhive, did when Ciel was very young; before the tragic fire that took both of his parents had started. It was the way Ciel would often stroke the family dog, which had also perished in the fire, and the dog from which Sebastian the demon got his name.

Sebastian relieved a soft moan; a faint indication he was aware of his master's presence. He stirred slightly before sighing and dozing off once more. The corners of Ciel's mouth lifted in a soft smile. He gave a few silent words of praise before settling the infant back into Sebastian's arms, which seemed to be firmly locked in place to cradle the child.

As much as he wanted to stay awake until Sebastian woke up, it was late and sleep was quickly taking a hold of the boy. He brushed past Mey-Rin, giving her a brief nod before going back into his bedroom and going back to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16: Family

Chapter 16: Grell

Sebastian woke up the next morning to silence. It came as no surprise, though, as it was still early and it was more than likely that Mey-Rin had gone back to her own room, that Ciel was still asleep, and his newborn baby girl was asleep in his arms. Sebastian suspected that the baby wouldn't fuzz much over food, as her demonic appearance would probably be accompanied by a demon's taste for souls. That made feeding a little less complicated, as Grim Reapers were much like humans; requiring sleep and three meals per day to stay alive. Diaper changing, on the other hand, would probably come as normally as bowel movements came to all beings.

Sebastian found himself caught up in staring at his child, wanting to memorize her entire being; her appearance, her personality, her scent, her voice and whatever sounds it was able to produce. Everything from the shade of red her hair was to her skin tone to the details of her garnet eyes were able to be memorized by a demon parent for identification; although it wasn't common for demons to scorch red hair, and his daughter's was the first he had ever seen.

A knock on the door shook the man from his thoughts. He was sure his bedroom door had been left open in case any visitors happened to drop by, and as Sebastian looked up, he saw the one person he had been waiting for… for once.

"Uh, h-hi Bassy."

Grell stood in the doorway with crossed legs and twiddling fingers. He looked very much afraid to step into the room, as if he expected to receive another beating from Sebastian.

Sebastian welcomed the Reaper with a soft, kind smile, a look Grell wasn't entirely expecting.

"Come in, Grell." He said, "There's someone here I'd like you to meet."

Some of the tension in Grell eased as he walked into the room and sat down beside him. Sebastian gently rested their child into Grell's arms.

"He's beautiful, Bassy." He commented, smiling.

Sebastian cleared his throat, "_She_."

Grell relieved a small chuckle, "_'She'_. _She's _beautiful."

Sebastian nodded and smiled, "I was waiting for you, Grell."

A blush appeared on the Reaper's face, "Y-you… you were?"

"I need help with a name. I think you deserve to do that much."

"You want me to name her?"

"So long as it's not too unusual…"

Grell looked down at the little baby and thought. It wasn't so uncommon that a child would be named after another family member or have a name that was a combination of the parent's. Neither option sat well with Grell. However, one combination fitted, and it was a name Grell liked.

"Isabelle."

Sebastian tilted his head, "How did you come up with that one?"

"I tried combining our names, but nothing fit. But then "Sebbelle" somehow popped into my head, and after thinking about it for a minute, I came up with "Isabelle"."

The smile on Sebastian's lips grew, "Isabelle it is, then."

Grell's smile only lasted a minute before vanishing, "Say, Bassy?"

"Yes?"

"I… I heard from Will that you were considering that maid of yours to mother our child."

Sebastian's smile vanished, "Will said that?"

Grell nodded. It was clear to Sebastian that although he hadn't heard from the Reaper like expected, he was still watching.

Sebastian nodded in response, "I have, yes."

Grell bit his bottom lip, trying to keep himself from crying, "I understand…"

"Yeah? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I know you've never shared my feelings for you, and I know you didn't ask for a child. I understand why you see that maid as a mother figure, instead of me…"

A hand came to rest on Grell's cheek, Sebastian's thumb stroking him kindly.

"I've been thinking about you, as well…"

Grell gave a questioning glance, "Really?"

Sebastian nodded, "It doesn't seem fair to leave you out of this completely. You gave me this child. Indirectly, but still. Although I'm allowing Mey-Rin to mother our child, that doesn't mean I don't want you in the picture, too."

Grell furrowed his brow, "I don't understand. How am I meant to play a role in Isabelle's life if I won't be a parent figure?"

"You will be, of sorts. I know you don't have another person in your life, as of yet, but I wish to ask you. Would you like to be Isabelle's godfather?"

The tears flowed down Grell's face in tight rivers; tears of joy, happiness, and relief.

"Yes."

A stir in the bundle in Grell's arms caught his attention. He looked down to find little Isabelle staring up at him.

"She has your eyes, Sebastian." Grell chuckled.

"She has your hair color, Grell." Sebastian added, "Try holding her closer to your face.

Grell's face twisted with confusion, "Why?"

"Just trust me on this…"

Grell pulled the bundle closer to him until he was holding her at his chest.

As she had done with Mey-Rin, Isabelle reached up her hands and touched Grell's face. I tiny laugh escaped her mouth before they retreated back into the blankets.

"What was that?" Grell chuckled.

"It's her own little way of getting to know people." Sebastian replied, "I guess that means she likes you."

For the rest of that morning Sebastian and Grell would talk and laugh, taking turns holding Baby Isabelle and forming a new bond and a new friendship.


	17. Epilogue

Epilogue

"So, I think it is clear why we've all gathered here today…"

Three powerful beings sat in a large white room, all sets of eyes locked firmly on a stack of books that were piled on a table in front of them. An angel picked up one while a Reaper grabbed another and the demon proceeded to grab the third with his free hand while the other cradled a sleeping infant.

"These should have been destroyed centuries ago." The angel said.

"They were stored away in the restricted section in our library, Ash." The Reaper said, "Nobody could have predicted Grell Sutcliff would manage to find them."

"You know him, "Undertaker". He would have gotten his hands on anything if it meant he was able to bear Michaelis' children."

"Yes, but he intended to use it on himself."

"His mistake was a crime! If Michaelis would have delivered even an hour later, Grell would be in prison right now, if not dead."

The heads of the two immortals turned to the demon, who still sat in his own chair staring at the book in his hand in silence as his eyes scanned the cover repeatedly.

_'Spell's and Curses: Demons' _

"Remind me, you two." He finally said, "Why didn't we ever dispose of these books when we determined it was illegal to use most of the spells they contained?"

"It's because we reasoned that some of the spells were appropriate to use under the courts as punishments." Ash said, "But, clearly that was never your case. Eh, Sebastian?"

A smirk crossed the demon's lips and he tossed the hardcover book back onto the table, "Indeed, but I don't regret ever having this child. As I recall, Grell's punishment was thoroughly carried out by me, personally; as requested by William T. Spears. Thought I admit it was rather stupid of Grell to fail to look at the cover more closely, I think it was the fact I grew to accept him that takes away most of my anger."

"So, where does your opinion stand on these books, Sebastian?" Undertaker asked.

Sebastian eyes the three books carefully, knowing the other two were directed to Reapers and angels. They now stood on the decision whether they should hide the books away; only to be used for necessary law enforcement, or whether the books should be destroyed to prevent another accident like this from happening again.

"I say we get rid of these books." Ash said, "You all know as well as I that Sebastian could have died from the effects of the Immortal's Curse. Although angels and demons don't get along all that well, we realize the consequences of such an occurrence."

"Indeed," Undertaker chimed in, "Just the same, all of these curses and spells can prove fatal to any being. Disposing of them would make life a little less worrisome for all of us."

"Still, it's not our decision as a whole that matters. It's Sebastian's."

Both heads turned to the demon, who was caught staring down at his baby. The wheels turned in his mind as he pondered about the possibilities, and he found himself torn in half.

"On the one hand, these spells are dangerous, and they should be forbidden. Yet, at the same time, they could be rather useful to the beings if used correctly."

Ash and Undertaker waited, searching for the clearest answer.

"However, all immortals tend to get a little mischievous from time to time." Sebastian said, "The number of ways a being could abuse the spells for their own purposes is much too great to risk not to dispose of them. My mind is made up."

The three beings nodded. Ash rose from his seat and made his way to the pile of books. He held his hand over the stack and looked to the other two beings.

"Then let this be the end of these spells."

The books bust into blue flame and slowly burned to a mass of grey ashes. The beings looked on with blank expressions.

As Sebastian watched, he caught sight of a page that flew its way out of the flame and land on his lap. He looked around to see if the other had seen, but their eyes were firmly fixed on the vanishing books. He picked up the page and read its contents, and he found himself breaking into a soft chuckle.

_'The Immortal's Curse'_


End file.
